Portland, through the newly opened Cultural Expansion at the Portland Japanese Garden, now has a permanent public bonsai display! Villager Michael Hagedorn has been working the Japanese Garden to establish the Ellie M. Hill Bonsai Terrace, and also create new cultural programs related to bonsai for the Portland community and beyond. We're excited to be a part of that in the months to come as bonsai here in Portland continues to spread throughout the community.

Stay tuned for more updates as these ideas and projects come into fruition!

Happy New Year from the Portland Bonsai Village! It's a new year, and lots of exciting things are in store for 2017! The village now has an excellent Board of Directors, to help run the Village and plan community organization and education. We're currently planning our 2017 events, and brainstorming up some new programs and ways to share bonsai with Portland and beyond!

Continuing the boldness of bonsai projects in the Village, the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, Washington is unveiling another avant-guarde exhibit this April. In the words of the museum's curator Aarin Packard and Executive Director Kathy McCabe, here's the scoop:

“The concept for Decked-Out has taken nearly four years to become a reality,” explains Pacific Bonsai Museum Curator Aarin Packard. “I am extremely excited to see my vision realized, as my love for bonsai and skateboarding are brought together for the very first time. I am hopeful that this exhibit will further establish the artistic merit of both bonsai and street art within the 21st century.”

Exhibit Summary

Street art and bonsai collide in this first-of-its-kind exhibit. Decked-Out: From Scroll to Skateboard features 16 tokonoma style displays, each with a skate deck painted by the Pacific Northwest’s most talented urban muralists. The traditional environment for displaying a bonsai in Japan is a small interior alcove called a tokonoma. Much like the mantel above a fireplace, the tokonoma is a room’s focal point where cherished art and objects are displayed. A tokonoma display consists of three elements: a bonsai, a hanging scroll, and a small accent plant or art object. The role of the scroll is to anchor the display both visually and thematically. Decked-Out reinterprets the traditional hanging scroll used in bonsai displays with modern skate deck art. Artists are paired with a bonsai to create a work that combines traditional motifs and contemporary styles, as a new interpretation of bonsai display is established. This groundbreaking exhibit combines the ancient beauty of bonsai with the emerging street art movement for the very first time.

Villagers Matt Reel and Bobby Curttright along with Tyler Sherrod are dreaming up a project for the Portland Bonsai Village, a show similar to the Taikan Ten show in Japan that is focused on beautiful display and its elements, rather than focused on the trees, like the Kokufu Ten. They are considering it being a Northwest native tree show.

The show would be open to the public to enjoy, and it will include an educational aspect. Sounds pretty exciting to me and I’m eager to see what they come up with.

We’ll definitely be filling you in on the particulars as this concept gets firmed up...for now, it is one Village project underway.

Photos courtesy Matt Reel

]]>Village Spotlight: Standmaker Austin HeitzmanAndrew RobsonTue, 24 Nov 2015 19:40:47 +0000http://www.portlandbonsaivillage.com/blog/2015/11/16/village-spotlight-standmaker-austin-heitzman5532a293e4b0f265ff22fc92:553f2c53e4b0abb691b9b517:564a6464e4b082acc1369897While not achieving any notability for his hair color, which is sandy like so many other Portland Bonsai Villagers, Austin Heitzman is however quite tall, equalled only by the stratospheric Matt Reel. Otherwise he fits in with the others, blends I should say, with his affability. I should also mention that he makes nice stands.

Austin is an award-winning furniture maker in Portland, Oregon, and a bonsai hobbyist. In 2013 he began making bonsai stands and has found acclaim for his innovation. Quite a handful (I don't know the actual number but it was more than a few) of his stands were used in The Artisans Cup show here in Portland recently, including several that were supporting award winning trees.

Austin sent me a few photos of his recent work, which I share here. Lot of unusual choices in woods and forms, but based on traditional ideas. Hope you enjoy them!

Nestled amidst towering conifers, Pacific Bonsai Museum is unlike any other museum. In a grand outdoor setting with the elegance of a fine art museum, the Museum boasts over 100 bonsai, the most diverse public collection in the United States.

Pacific Bonsai Museum connects people to nature through the living art of bonsai. People have asked how they can help care for our renowned trees and support our work to honor the history and traditions of bonsai while evolving the art form and now they can.

Whether you are a fan of the Museum, a bonsai enthusiast or someone who envisions growing our premiere collection, launching groundbreaking exhibits, expanding our facilities and being the most visited bonsai museum in the world…join today! After all, how often do you get to be a founding member?

A cultural gem, Pacific Bonsai Museum offers contemporary and traditional bonsai exhibits, group tours, education and special events. Open free of charge six days per week, the Museum welcomes 30,000 visitors a year from nearly all 50 states and more than 20 foreign countries. www.pacificbonsaimuseum.org

]]>Come to our flute benefit concert at the Artisans Cup-Andrew RobsonThu, 20 Aug 2015 19:31:20 +0000http://www.portlandbonsaivillage.com/blog/2015/8/19/come-to-our-flute-benefit-concert-at-the-artisans-cup-5532a293e4b0f265ff22fc92:553f2c53e4b0abb691b9b517:55d519cde4b04bb82bbff821If you're coming to the Artisans Cup in September, do reserve Saturday night, the 26th. Andrew Robson is studying flute in a masters program at the Yale School of Music. Also a bonsai aficionado and writer of the blog the Bonsai Herald, Andrew has donated his time and musical artistry in a benefit concert for the Portland Bonsai Village. We're thrilled he's going to play for us!

To reserve a ticket to this benefit concert, please go to our Indiegogo campaign and choose the 'Flute Concert' perk. Look forward to seeing you there-

St. Louis native Andrew Robson is an emerging flutist and teacher. Andrew is currently pursuing graduate studies at the Yale School of Music with Ransom Wilson, and has previously studied with Mark Sparks, Jennifer Nitchman, and Julianna Moore. Andrew was the recent winner of the St. Louis National Society of Arts and Letters Woodwind Competition, and was named a Presser Scholar by the department of music at Truman State University.

Andrew currently performs as a flutist with the Yale Philharmonia, and has been privileged to play for some of today's great conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Peter Oundjian, Ward Stare, John Adams, and Shinik Hahm. As an advocate for new music, Andrew has worked with composers such as John Adams, Chris Theofanidis, David Lang, Katherine Hoover, Bryce Dessner, and Jesse Limbacher.

An enthusiastic teacher, Andrew is currently a Teaching Artist for Yale's Music in the Schools Initiative and teaches lessons to undergraduate students at Yale University. Andrew has also published with the National Flute Association's publication, The Flutist Quarterly.

Andrew plays on a flute made by the Wm. S. Haynes Flute Company in Boston. In his spare time, Andrew enjoys being outside and working on his bonsai trees.

]]>Come to our flute benefit concert at the Artisans Cup-Interview about the Portland Bonsai Village-Andrew RobsonWed, 19 Aug 2015 00:01:52 +0000http://www.portlandbonsaivillage.com/blog/2015/8/18/interview-about-the-portland-bonsai-village-5532a293e4b0f265ff22fc92:553f2c53e4b0abb691b9b517:55d3c432e4b0a051fa5daaddA few weeks ago I did an in-depth interview about the Portland Bonsai Village with Bonsai Empire. I had a lot of fun with this, do take a look:

Because we were 191% funded, the Portland Bonsai Village will be able to get going sooner than anticipated. We'll be in touch with all of you about our progress, such as when our website is finally live, our future plans, and how you can benefit.

Also because of the campaign's success at passing our funding goal, it won't just disappear from Indiegogo. It will be searchable for a long time yet, and you will still have the ability to donate. If you've not yet seen the ridiculous videos, take a moment:

]]>Portland Bonsai Village passes Indiegogo goal-Andrew RobsonMon, 08 Jun 2015 23:57:00 +0000http://www.portlandbonsaivillage.com/blog/2015/8/18/portland-bonsai-village-passes-indiegogo-goal-5532a293e4b0f265ff22fc92:553f2c53e4b0abb691b9b517:55d3c354e4b0e917d38a69d8A big update on the Indiegogo campaign to fund the Portland Bonsai Village: A day ago we went over our $10,000 goal! We're at $10,400 and counting.

Many of the campaigns on Indiegogo reach 150-300% funding for a good reason: The goal jumpstarts a project, but most projects could use more to insure the success of the venture. So, if you've been wanting to donate, there are still 22 days to do so!

]]>Village Funding Campaign Trending on IndiegogoAndrew RobsonFri, 29 May 2015 23:52:00 +0000http://www.portlandbonsaivillage.com/blog/2015/8/18/village-funding-campaign-trending-on-indiegogo5532a293e4b0f265ff22fc92:553f2c53e4b0abb691b9b517:55d3c14fe4b08af97db08844Wow...this has been quite the week for the Portland Bonsai Village! In the first 2 days of our 35 day Indiegogo campaign we raised $4,690, which made us a trending campaign on the Indiegogo site. We're in a mild state of shock over the support everyone has offered!

The last time we talked about Matt Reel he’d just finished a staggering 7 year 9 month apprenticeship with Shinji Suzuki. When I opened my January 2015 issue of the Japanese bonsai magazine Kinbon, there was Matt, standing next to a very fine juniper that he’d worked on as an apprentice. If you figure Matt is about 6’million”, this is a very big juniper.

Recently Matt has become a Portland Bonsai Villager. He came to Portland willingly, which is better than the fight and tussle it would have been had he come unwillingly. We’re glad to have him, as he expands our professional network considerably.

Two years ago I fell out of the sky and landed in Germany. Actually that’s not quite accurate, I rolled in by train from Prague, after falling out of the sky in Vienna. Obviously I’ve forgotten some of the details. In any event, once there (in Germany) I did a photo shoot for the bonsai magazine, Bonsai Art. The shoot happened at Bonsai-Zentrum, a large, full-scale bonsai nursery run by Wolfgang and Ingo Klemend. The subject was a root-connected European Larch, collected by the Klemends in the Alps some years before.

The editor of Bonsai Art, Ivo Drüge, generously gave me the thumbs up to republish part of the article here. Those of you who speak German will be at an advantage with the captions. The words look just lovely visually, being the language of Goethe and Rilke and all, but I’ve spared you the body of the text. There were rather a lot of them. I hope you enjoy the photos.

Gary has a deeply whimsical, treeish wisdom, as if Mark Twain and Demeter, the Greek goddess of agriculture, had had a love child. He does look a bit like Twain, doesn’t he?

My apprentice Bobby Curttright and I were looking forward to this all month! Long time friend Gary Wood came west to share his tree wizardry with us in a seminar last weekend. I always thought his last name was a karmic promise…

Gary’s knowledge of trees, their inner workings, and how they respond to stimuli including sharp bonsai implements is nothing short of encyclopedic. And he’s an inventive, nearly prophetic thinker. For one, his own observations had him almost ten years ahead of the research on the role of auxins and sugars in determining plant growth.

A dozen lucky folks from the Northwest converged on my studio for Gary’s fact-filled, humorous day.

Gary in the backyard on his seminar day. He enjoyed my mug collection. The cats enjoyed hiding his glasses. We all enjoyed his teaching.

Maestro Wood often led 50 ft. ‘field trips’ out into the grounds when he wanted to point out something on a tree.

It was a great fun day! We’re all still nibbling on your thought-provoking presentation. Thanks Gary-

Although I’m not sure we can deliver on the dinosaurs, our planning team was quite taken with the idea of terraced bonsai growing fields, with a big fan to keep bugs and frost away. Very nice.

The Portland Bonsai Village is being built! Well…not of lumber, really, but with big ideas and cool programs. In the meantime, here’s a wonky prelude…

Take a look at this virtual tour of possible Villages. Vote for your favorite! Or suggest alternatives…

Not sure if this was in a construction phase or a deconstruction phase. Will inquire. Likely to have a fair number of curious goats. Tall bonsai fences a must.

The perfect Village design for those deeply worried about attacking aficionados with greatly differing views on bonsai aesthetics.

Deeply woo-woo, very Portland, definitely some farm-to-table restaurant possibilities. Roof-top bonsai gardens. For those who prefer the newest trends.

This version is likely to be popular, since it’s assumed most visitors to the Portland Bonsai Village would be coming here primarily for romance.

Our next option is a bit remote, reached only by donkey on a rather narrow path. Somewhat monastic. Bonsai yogis will appreciate.

Chagall thought a village should look like this. Complete with goats.

Well, let us know what you think.

Stay tuned for a more substantive post in the near future offering a glimpse of what’s ACTUALLY being planned for the Portland Bonsai Village. Nothing with goats or tall fences, just for clarification…